Archaeology: Roman-era marble statue found in Bulgaria’s Varna
An exceptionally well-preserved Roman marble statue has been discovered in Varna, the Bulgarian Black Sea city’s Regional History Museum said.
Initial estimates are that the statue dates from the second to the third century CE.
The find was made during construction work outside the fortress walls of the ancient city, known in antiquity as Odessos.
The museum said that it had been notified by the construction contractor, Georgi Kraychev.
The sculpture is slightly larger than life-size, made of fine white marble, and is very well preserved.
Only the right wrist is missing and there is minor damage to the face.
The sculpture is of a middle-aged man with a short beard, dressed in a Roman toga, holding a scroll.
There is a well-preserved inscription on the plinth, in Greek, and the preliminary reading reveals the name of the person depicted: G(aius) Marius Hermogenes.
“The toga in which this prominent citizen of Odessos is clothed betrays his close ties with Roman authority,” the museum said on October 15.
The statue is currently in the Archaeological Museum in Varna, awaiting careful cleaning by the restoration team.
(Photos: Varna Regional History Museum)
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